There is an increasing demand worldwide to have broader available choices of reduced sugar content in foods and beverages, whether for taste preference, lifestyle reasons or for certain individuals (e.g., diabetic patients) for health-related goals. Accordingly, the health benefits associated with the reduction of sugar content in foods and beverages are desirable. The use of non-caloric artificial and natural high-potency sweeteners to reduce the level of sweeteners such as caloric and non-caloric sweeteners in foods is limited due to temporal and/or flavor issues, e.g., slow onset of sweetness, sweetness linger, bitter, metallic or licorice taste.
The market for compounds or food products for which nothing artificial or synthetic has been included in, has been added to, or has been used to synthesize the compounds or food products is growing. A 2014 analysis estimated that almost 50% of U.S. consumers look for a mention of no artificial ingredients before purchasing a product (See, Tully & Holland, “Flavors & Fragrances Industry Update,” August 2014). It is, therefore, desirable to provide compounds, food products, consumer products and pharmaceuticals which allow for the use of reduced amounts of caloric sweeteners (e.g., sugars) while maintaining desirable sweet taste and avoiding the flavor issues associated with sugar substitutes that do not include or are not prepared from artificial or synthetic components. Development of processes that do not utilize artificial or synthetic materials to generate such compounds, food products, consumer products and pharmaceuticals is needed.